EEKR Race No. 1
– News, Notes, and Results
By Danielle
McCormack
East End Kart Racing opened the
season on a blustery day at the quarter-mile Riverhead Raceway.
Despite the cool weather, racers flocked to opening day, with
everyone echoing sentiments that they were glad to be back at
the track.
“I couldn’t wait to get back into
my kart and be with all of my friends that I haven’t seen all
winter,” says racer Dean Grunert, who returns to the Medium
class in 2010 and will also run in the Medium Animal division.
EEKR officials were pleased that
all karters had their required safety equipment.
“It wasn’t that we were trying to be unfair,” says EEKR vice
president Joe Orlando, “It is important that each team has [the
appropriate safety] equipment in case of an emergency.
In addition to the stepped up
safety enforcement, EEKR introduced a new tire rule for 2010,
with all karters required to run the new Vega tire.
“We love the new tires,” says
Vincent Grunert, Dean’s father. “Dean was able to go anywhere on
the track and the tire stuck like glue. It seems most of the
other drivers feel the same way.”
With a new season, come new paint
schemes. Despite the lack of sheet metal on a kart, many racers
still displayed flashy, creative looks. One example was Kendall
Grennan’s champ kart, which looked like a World of Outlaws
sprint car.
Danny Schleiser turned heads in
the Junior Champs. Schleiser always has top-notch equipment,
thanks to his grandfather, but seemed to be a bit down on power.
This year they not only have a new kart, but also the power he
needs to be a frontrunner. Schleiser drove to an impressive
second-place finish in the main after winning his heat race.
Joining the EEKR ranks for the
first time was Frank Kurklen, who debuted with the No. 34 in the
Novice class.
Is it in the genes? After Joseph
Bertuccio III won his kids kart main, he waved to the
grandstands as he exited the track. The son of the 2002
Riverhead Raceway modified champion seems to know the way to
victory lane as well as how to excite the crowd.
EEKR acting president Dave
Brigati recently celebrated his 11th wedding anniversary with
his lovely wife Cindy, who is also the EEKR treasurer.
The next race for the EEKR will be race No. 2 on Sunday, May 16
at Riverhead Raceway.
4-Cycle Kid Karts
1. 2 Joseph Bertuccio
2. 39 Riley Okeere
3. 26 Josph Persico
4. 14 Anthony Vasseur
5. 48 Jason Trinca
Champ Beginner
1. 26 Jaclyn Busch
2. 9 Cory Midgett
Junior Champ
1. 12 Billy Humes
2. 96 Daniel Schleiser
3. 1x Joseph Warren
4. 49 Jack Handley
Junior I
1. 2 Nick Harnage
2. 29 Ryan Zukowski
3. 88 Robert Thuram
4. 23 Danny Conroy
Junior II
1. 66 Vincent Biondolillo
2. 98 Joseph Gulotta
3. 69 Cj Zukowski
4. 8 Luke Palzer
Junior Restricted
1. 62 Kevin Baird
Junior Sportsman Champ I
1. 2 Nick Harnage
2. 44 Jake Scharfeuberg
3. 66 Gillian Biondolillo
4. 51 Eddie Fatscher
5. 38 Kendall Grennan
6. 8 Julia DiCauio
7. 24 Chistopher Hurley
8. 14 William Ebert
9. 25 Jake Guyer
10. 21 Austin Elliston
Junior Sportman Champ II
1. 66 Vincent Biondolillo
2. 49 Max Handley
3. 22 Anthony Marsh
4. 5 George Tomko
5. 8 Mark Stewart
6. 00 Alexa Hipperling
7. 15 Gerard Giordano
8. 38 Owen Grennan
9. 19 AJ Desantis
Medium Animal
1. 21 Dean Grunert
Medium
1. 21 Dean Grunert
2. 42 James Hayden
3. 77 Tom Franco
4. 98 Jake Harrington
Novice
1. 34 Frank Kurklen
Senior Champ Over 35
1. 34 Woot Lawrence
2. 00 John Ricciuto
3. 12 Joe Hodge
4. 72 Steve Elliston
5. 44 Kevin Scharfenberg
6. 9 Brian Midgett
7. 1219 Richard Ventiera
Senior Champ Animal
1. 12 Rich Wilson
2. 24 James Hayden
3. 94 Bruce Palzer
Senior Champ Raptor
1. 34 Eric Zeh
2. 14 Kyle Phillips
3. 12 Rich Wilson
4. 46 Vinny Delaney
5. 69 Jason Agugliaro
6. 17 Kyle Elwood
7. 55 Mike Malone
8. 27 Mike Maskwlyak
9. 3 Brian Hansen
10. 44 Amy Scharfenberg
11. 99
12. 00 Tim Gregory
13. 84 John Fortin
14. 18 Melissa Barnes
15. 17x Frank Aviles
16. 08 John Vullo
17. 25 Richie Davidowitz
Kid Champ Kart
1. 51 Kenneth Massa
2. 48 Michael Hurley
3. 48x Jason Trinca
4. 18 Jeffrey Farruggia
Source:
Danielle McCormack/LongIslandJam.com
Updated: April
18, 2010
